I love how theres not really a villian in this movie, yubaba is just a greedy buisness woman. she just wants to run her bath house, no face is lonely and wants sen. haku is a river spirit trapped by yubaba. no one is really the villain. its just sen trying to survive in a new wierd world
@@gurglequeen433 yeah these movies are so different and they give me a great sense of connection and emotion to something. Ponyo was the first movie i ever saw in a theater and it was so beautiful, also not containing a true villain. Studio Ghibli is amazing!
@@gurglequeen433 it’s to true. I didn’t see both sides to the characters in Mononoke when I first watched it at age seven but going back and watching it now it’s really just so much better. The characters are so complex, no character is without good or evil.
I would argue that yubaba is the closest thing to a villain, bc she does villainous things for her business. Like controlling the employees (at the very least chihiro and haku ). But I agree she isn’t inherently evil, and at the very least changed for the better after chihiros visit to the bathhouse! You can’t hate any of these characters haha
@@strawberrysoulforever8336 It depends on the kanji used. Chi is 'a thousand', but there's multiple kanji for 'hi' and 'ro', and they mean different things when put together. There's roughly six meanings for Chihiro's name in Japanese.
I don’t know; after what happened to her parents, I went right off anything resembling pork in this movie. The connotations are horrific. How many humans got turned into pigs by Yubaba? And was that a pork dumpling Chihiro was given on the balcony?
@@gavanhill5132 This was a general comment about all of studio ghibli's movies. I can't watch Howl's Moving Castle now without making thick cut bacon and eggs to go with it. And Princess Mononoke, I always have jerky.
The stink spirit represents pollution in a river in Japan. Hiyao Miyazaki helped clean a river and they actually found a bicycle in the mud. He has a lot of interviews and the inspiration to his films.
If I was in her place I would have looked back for sure lol (but then again I've always loved the spirit world, except for the begining where it was super scary XD)
I think the reason she's not allowed to look back, is because if she will, she would be stuck there, like the legend about the guy who went to hell to return his wife, and told her to not look back, and when she did, she got dragged back unable to return back
If you didn't realise, No Face became evil in the bath-house because it was full of greedy, evil influences, eg. people wanting only money or lots of food. When he was with Chihiro, or with Yubaba's sister, he was kind, because he was surrounded by kindness and people who cared for others more than greed. He was never bad, he just sort of... absorbs the traits of the people around him.
It is kind of like in Avatar the Last Airbender/The Legend of Korra: There are no good or evil spirits, they simply reflect the emotions in their surroundings.
To this day I'm still traumatized to the fact Sophie just keeps turning old and young, This story is very good in impact I love Howl's Moving Castle tbh
Also to note - Haku's river was drained and had humans building over it, and since the river was destroyed by humans, along with Yubaba's curse, he forgot who he was. A lot of the creators stories focus on the impact humans have on the environment.
@@softsounds8453 It is, but it was cut out of the reaction during Chihiro's talk with Haku when he remembered his name. Chihiro: They filled in that river, it's all apartments now! Haku: That must be why I can't find my way home, Chihiro. I remember you falling into my river, and I remember your little pink shoe.
Fun fact: the Voice of Chihiro is the voice of Lilo from Lilo and Stitch. I still love the beauty of this move and the magic of this movie. It’s all based on Japanese Lore and it’s gorgeous. You should definitely check out more Studio Ghibli. They’re just up your ally and they’re perfect!
When I'd seen it during college, @LadyBee, Yubaba looked too cute! Now seeing it with the video, she looks super cute! Round cutesy hairstyle, big distinct featured head, profile - Yubaba's face shines with cuteness. Really huggable.
I love it when No Face is having his tantrum and Chihiro's like "Look, I'm sorry you feel this way, but my man's down stairs fighting for his life, so if you could please knock it the fuck off so I can save him, i'd really appreciate that."
Absolutely one of the greatest ever. So much variety in the music he composed, I can’t decide which score is my favorite, Spirited Away or My Neighbor Totoro. And they’re both so different!
Joe Hisaishi and Hayao Miyazaki are an outstanding duo. The only other one I can think that might be up there with them is John Williams and Steven Spielberg.
I love that Nick kept refering to the spirits as persons. He kept saying "Who is that" instead of "What is that", since in the spirit world they are just the living beings that belong there
Obviously it’s not worth it to have your channel at risk for copyright strikes, BUT if you’re able to watch more, I highly recommend Princess Mononoke!! Just know it’s definitely less child-friendly than most other Studio Ghibli films 😂
So true 🤣 Once we watched it with my class and People were complaigning bc "anime for Kids" but after one bow shot a girl sreamed "I thought it was an animé !!!" I laughed so much ^^
My oldest growing up loved Princess Mononoke and would watch it on repeat. Was hard for her to say at the time so she just called Mononoke the Wolf Girl. Hard to believe she's going to be an adult in less than a week.
No Face, or the spirit that ate everything, was normal until he was corrupted by the greed of the bathhouse. You can see that he's completely see-through at the beginning and end, but when he enters the bathhouse, you can see the dark pools start to form inside him.
Be careful though, studio ghibli tends to get the whole channel deleted if they target it, not just the video showing their movie. Just a heads up if you get any warning, feel free to delete the video yourself so your whole channel doesn't disappear!
Anime studios in general do that. Best is to give a link to or mention a code peeps can fill in on an alternative channel like Vimeo. There you can post the full one no problem.
Definetely not worth risking it over that. Just play it save and dont do any more direct anime uploads on youtube, please. i dont want you to get even one strike. Maybe even delete this video after a week.
@@CptApplestrudl AFAIK other You tubers reacting to anime (or Last Airbender or Clone Wars) have no issues using the Vimeo (or similar one) method. Also the same for music videos. Commercial-free video sites I guess?
@@rafaelmacedo2365 I've seen it happen with another reactor, their whole channel got wiped from existence and they had to create a new one, start from scratch again. It was awful I don't wish that on any creator.
The scene of Chihiro and Haku after seeing her parents gets me every time. She's been through so much stress, trying to stay strong and Haku gives her the enchanted rice balls that give her her strength back. And she just breaks down and she can finally cry and let it all out. It makes me cry/emotional every time I hear her cries.
As someone who has watched this many times, that opening music opens my tearducts. Its so nostalgic, especially after seeing tha ending,so emotional. Im 24 and I'd be juat as scared to lose sight of my parents like that💔
Some food for thought: that big murky stink spirit is actually a river spirit that was polluted with all of the trash from the humans so when chihiro/sen removed the trash it cleansed the spirit
I'd like to clarify some things when it comes to Eastern vs. Western storytelling for you. Western stories tend to be more plot and story focused. They revolve around central conflict that is eventually solved in the end. Eastern sotytelling however is different in that, yes they have a plot in them, but it's put into the background, it's not the main focus. The focus is on the emotions that are awaken by what's going on and the ones that the main protagonist(s) feel. Thank to this, the stories (at least for us from western contries) feel like the plot isn't resolved or that there is any at all. A very good video that teaches about the differences is Western vs Eastern Storytelling - What's the Difference? (A General Overview) by Literature Devil. I really recommend it. Great reaction btw < 3
It's interesting because I find that most Eastern stories I watch or read have a more intriguing plot than Western. That may be due to the exploration of characters emotions itself though, or western influence for all I know
@@almondlol4832 No, just wanted to say that there is a difference and to expect it when it comes to certain animes or asian stories. It's not good or bad, just different.
This. I was a little put off with the mentioning of wishing there was more to the parents. They weren’t really the main point, her growth and maturity was more of the focus of the film. Not so much resolving whatever issues with her parents. That’s more of a western idea. Well said.
I don't think it is overated, everyone have different taste and some will prefer mononoke, some other Chihiro, Porco rosso, castle in the sky, howl's moving castle 😁 But still, studio Ghibli is an incredible studio with talented creators and wonderful movies.
So, I thought I'd add a little backstory for the ending there; Hayao Miyazaki, co-founder of Studio Ghibli and director of Spirited Away said in an interview once that when Chihiro crosses back into the human world, she loses her memories of the spirit world and all that happened, which is obviously a little upsetting to think about. But he also said that just because she doesn't remember doesn't mean those memories are gone forever, there's a possibility that her memories could come back to her at a later time. It’s also mentioned somewhere (I can't remember where exactly) that at the end when Haku promises that they’ll meet again, he’s referring to the afterlife, that he'll see her again when she dies. (Kinda puts a damper on those fan stories where Haku turns up in the human world or Chihiro returns to the spirit world.) This story is one of my absolute favourites. Chihiro is such an incredible protagonist, she so brave and strong, whilst still being realistically child-like in her fear and emotional responses to what's happening to her. I'm really happy you watched this film, it's definitely in my top five favourite Studio Ghibli films. I hope you do more, but I understand the risk it poses to your channel so obviously, you shouldn't do anything you don't want to.
I noticed this too. Also, the English dub seems to have several added lines that the original Japanese doesn't have. I personally feel like it dumbs down the film a little bit and at times takes away from the emotional effect and some meaningful silences.
@@naniyodesu yep I think this is the wrong dub. I might just be imagining things but if I recall correctly there are 2 English dubs. So many reactors have reacted to the wrong ones that I can't even tell when they listen to the wrong one until the 'Haku is a dragon' part. The bad dub reveals that way too early, while the good one has Chihiro act surprised when she realizes it'd Haku without her first knowing. Or that is actually the subbed version idk
@@lorettabes4553 Wow, I didn't even know there were two versions of the English dub! But that's cool to know that there is one that potentially preserves the effects and impacts of the original one better.
One of my little favorite parts in this movie is when Zeniba calls Kohaku Chihiro's boyfriend. I have no idea if she says that in English, but in Japanese she does and I love that Chihiro just blinks at that, not really saying anything 😆
All Ghibli movies start in low peace and end really quickly, that's a traditional Japanese narrative style, but I really loved seeing you reacting to this one! And to see you enjoyed it is so amazing, loving your content so much
Also this was the first Miyazaki film I ever saw. I was about 6 or 7 we had rented the dvd and I was sucked in and the only part that freaked me out was the oarents turned into pigs. Also I don’t know if you recognize the voiced for the dub in English but Chihiro was Daveigh Chase who was Lilo in Lilo and Stitch, Susan Egan was Lin who was Meg in Hercules, Jason Marsden was Haku who most Disney fans will know as the voice of Max, Goofy’s Son, The character that says “Welcome the rich man he’ not that hard to miss” is John Ratzenberger who has been in Every Pixar film (Ham the Piggy Bank and so many others), I love the detail that near the end of the film you see she still has the hairband her friends made her, Also the reason No Face acts the way he does is he copies how someone interacts with him so when Chihiro is kind to him he is nice, but when the greedy workers interact off him he mimics them. The bicycle that was in the river spirit is what Miyazaki once pulled from a river when he was young was the inspiration for that. You brought up at the end how you wanted to focus on her relationship with her parents, but that would detract from the story the point of the film is to see Chihiro grow not just as a character, but as a person and she matures from an easily scared girl with a childlike personality to match her age to a hard-working, responsible, and brave young girl who has learned to put her fears aside for those she cares for. To protect her friends and rescue her parents from a spell that has turned them into livestock, Chihiro sheds her former personality and adapts to her environment to become a courageous, quick-witted and reliable girl.The strength of her bond with Haku as the story progresses eventually evolves into a very sincere form of love that dispelled Yubaba and Zeniba's respective curses on Haku. Chihiro was based on a real-life girl: the then-ten-year-old daughter of a friend of Miyazaki's. This girl also made Miyazaki continue working after promising retirement from filmmaking after Princess Mononoke
One other detail I forgot to mention is when at the end she and her parents are going back through the tunnel it is not them leading her out, but her leading them out!
The one thing you have to remember going in is that this isn’t a western film. Japanese story telling focuses more on characters and journey then destination
This is honestly not only my favorite animated film, but also one of the greatest films I’ve ever seen in my life! The characters are memorable, it has tons of great moments, the creativity and imagination is extraordinary, the music is gorgeous, without a doubt Joe Hisaishi’s definitive score, and it has some of the greatest animation ever put on film! This is the kind of film that most American studios wish they could make! Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli’s masterpiece! I can’t recommend it enough! If you’re interested in looking at more anime films, I wonder what you’ll think of Akira if you ever decide to check it out.
A lot of Ghibli movies have enviromental messages, thats the point of the "stink spirit" really being the spirit of a river that was polluted (based in a real experience Mizaki had cleaning up a real river) and Haku being the spirit of a river that was lost when people built housing complexs over it.
It’s not mentioned in the dub but in the Japanese version Haku says he remembered his full name is Nigihayami Kohakunushi which means “God of the Amber River”
The trash spirit was actually based on the time when Miyakazi helped to clean a river in his home town that was filled with garbage including a bike. Edit: I suggest checking out Kiki's delivery service! It's a beautiful movie with an equally beautiful message about the struggles of becoming burnt out and how it's okay not knowing what to do at times.
Oh, in german they keept it a secret that haku is a dragon till u see him the first time fully. So ur basically wonder with chihiro too if he's really a dragon or not till he transformes back.
The more you watch these, the more you'll also start to appreciate it and understand it more as you look at it through not just an Eastern lens but viewing it through the Japanese Shinto values. It reaffirms people's relationship to the their environment (like the "stink spirit" being a river spirit that was polluted) while reconciling the relationship between old Japanese tradition and modernity. There's something absolutely beautiful about keeping your old traditions and values while moving forward in an ever changing world that threatens to change those. Tradition and modernity aren't opposite each other but can coexist.
The movie has a very mature and timeless themes throughout the film that makes it a true masterpiece. Industrialism, Consumerism, Identity, Social Class, and many more. It’s the epitome of life. Not having true direction, but a goal in mind. It’s ever changing. As we are with each season that we face.
i would recommend anime movies outside of Studio Ghibli films if you are afraid of copyright strikes like your name or a silent voice or mirai etc...other than that i loved your reaction
Every time I watch this movie I instantly get transported into a state which feels like childhood. It’s not only nostalgic, but it’s able to put you into the emotions and the world view of a kid. I seriously love it. This movie feels so much like the peace and innocence of childhood
The actual storyline of this movie can be a bit odd at times but there's something about it that jsut perfectly captures that childhood wonder and magic. Even as an adult you can't help but be charmed and entranced. Chihiro is so amazingly brave and fearless while also clearly retaining her child nature. Theres a lot of lore and discussion concerning Noh-face (the scary black spirit) mostly involving how he represents greed and other things.
The fact that chihiro forgets everything at the end but her friends remember and will meet her again is the strongest part, as it’s meant to subconsciously question if you’ve also had adventures with friends you’ve forgotten, who are waiting for your return.
I've always liked Spirited Away but wondered about people for whom it's their first touch with anime because with the giant babies and the witch-headed birds it's also one of the weirder Ghibli movies, in my opinion. I think it helps if one thinks of it as "Alice in Wonderland set in Japanese culture" though, just trying to see everything through the eyes of fairytale logic and afterwards reading up on the folkloric backgrounds and interpretations of various elements. If you want a really feel-good Ghibli movie someday do "The Secret World of Arrietty". It's a little more slice-of-life but it's got a wonderful premise and it's my number-one comfort film, it's so pretty to look at.
Thank you so much Nick~ 💕 Overall, Studio Ghibli always gave me this feeling of hope and warmth. Spirited away is one of my favorites from Hayao Miyazaki. I first watch this film when I was little and I was scared, since this movie’s plot is about this girl being trapped in this world with spirits and her parents turning into pigs, I didn’t like the movie as much. When I was older and revisit this movie, I really enjoyed it and realized that everything in the film was an allegory/ symbols of how Miyazaki see the world like his other films. Here’s a little link: ruclips.net/video/tkxR1TcG4n4/видео.html This video really explain a bit more of the movie and when I watched this I was 🤯. I missed so many things and it was really fun looking at the symbolism and the fine detail. I really hope you check it out. ☺️✨
YES I AM HERE FOR IT!!! I know who you are talking about. You do have to be careful. I think I recall someone who posted a reaction on RUclips. I understand. The conclusion you came to is prob for the best.
You definitely got to check out Song of the Sea, it is breathtaking in its visuals and story telling with music that makes you feel like you're in a fairytale
Omg now I need to see your reactions to princess mononoke, howls moving castle, and my neighbor totoro. I get you have to be careful because of brand copyrights but I love anime so much.
Two Studio Ghibli movies that share the same character that I highly recommend you watch in order are Whisper of The Heart and The Cat Returns. Both movies are great!!!
39:17 And that's why he said he didn't have a home to go to, because they drained his river, filled it up and built apartments over it. Apparently in the original Japanese dub he was saying 'I've lost my home', that's what made it so easy for Yubaba to control him and why he forgot so quickly
There is an interesting part at the end: When yubaba was asked by her child to just let Sen go, she said that even she Yubaba is bound by the rules and can't break them
I think No Face's deal is that he takes in the qualities of his environment, like the never-ending greed of the bathhouse. Just like he took on the frog's voice when he ate him. So he felt much more at peace somewhere like Granny's house
One of my all-time favorites of any film, animated or otherwise! Every moment, every frame of animation and storytelling grabbed me hard as a kid and never let go. I just love how we dive right into it with little to no explanation of exactly why this world is the way it is, what the spirits are, how they came to be, why some look like humans, etc. It's a simple story of Chihiro's growth, survival and transition in a setting that is anything but simple. It's just a spellbinding ride from start to finish. Thank you for this treat! 😍 And recognize Lin's voice? It's Susan Egan who also played Meg in Hercules!
This movie was a true hallmark. It won Best Animated Picture in the 2002 Oscars and it remains, up until now, the only time Japan ever won an Oscar in that category.
A great voice cast. Daveigh Chase, Jason Marsden, Suzanne Pleshette, John Ratzenberger, Roger Bumpass, Susan Egan, David Ogden Stiers, Tara Strong, Bob Bergen, Candy Milo and Dee Bradley Baker!
ur doing studio ghibli?! yes yes yes yes yes! lol Ghibli is such nostalgia! and this was the second one i saw. its great!... early on there was the line 'maybe its pulling us in' a little detail that could be dismissed, but with how insistent the parents were on exploring the other side despite saying they'd b elate not too long ago? also, the statue they almost hit is important too. ' the dōsojin wards off evil spirits and catastrophes, and protects the village from evil outside influences. As deity of the road, the dōsojin protects travelers, pilgrims, and those in "transitional" stages(process of moving sounds transitional to me)
@@justinnaniong7872 i'm glad i'm not alone on this!! i just feel like it's perfect for him? it's wholesome but emotional and the music!! i forgot to mention that but omg the music is amazing
I love how theres not really a villian in this movie, yubaba is just a greedy buisness woman. she just wants to run her bath house, no face is lonely and wants sen. haku is a river spirit trapped by yubaba. no one is really the villain. its just sen trying to survive in a new wierd world
You see that a lot in these movies. It's the same in My Neighbor Totoro and Princess Mononoke.
@@gurglequeen433 yeah these movies are so different and they give me a great sense of connection and emotion to something. Ponyo was the first movie i ever saw in a theater and it was so beautiful, also not containing a true villain. Studio Ghibli is amazing!
Gotta love that White and Grey Morality movies 😍❤❤
@@gurglequeen433 it’s to true. I didn’t see both sides to the characters in Mononoke when I first watched it at age seven but going back and watching it now it’s really just so much better. The characters are so complex, no character is without good or evil.
I would argue that yubaba is the closest thing to a villain, bc she does villainous things for her business. Like controlling the employees (at the very least chihiro and haku ). But I agree she isn’t inherently evil, and at the very least changed for the better after chihiros visit to the bathhouse! You can’t hate any of these characters haha
Chihiro means A Thousand Voyages, while Sen means only A Thousand. Essentially, Yubaba has removed everything from her aside from her numerical value.
Thanks for letting me know!
I thought Chihiro meant A Thousand Fathoms, or A Thousand Questions. I always thought that suited her.
@@strawberrysoulforever8336 Japanese names tend to be pretty fluid with their meaning so could have multiple meanings.
@@strawberrysoulforever8336 It depends on the kanji used. Chi is 'a thousand', but there's multiple kanji for 'hi' and 'ro', and they mean different things when put together. There's roughly six meanings for Chihiro's name in Japanese.
@@nickflix8657 Wolf Children is my favorite anime movie I think you’ll love it it’s so powerful
One of studio ghibli's magic abilities is making people want whatever food they show on screen.
I don’t know; after what happened to her parents, I went right off anything resembling pork in this movie. The connotations are horrific. How many humans got turned into pigs by Yubaba?
And was that a pork dumpling Chihiro was given on the balcony?
@@gavanhill5132 This was a general comment about all of studio ghibli's movies. I can't watch Howl's Moving Castle now without making thick cut bacon and eggs to go with it. And Princess Mononoke, I always have jerky.
And the food in Ponyo!
FR. The food they presented in the bathhouses ugh I luv it.
The scene where her parents become pig scare the hell out of me when I was little
I was terrified haha
It scared the heck out of me while i’m 22, can’t imagine watching this when i was a kid
Watched this recently with my six year old. I thought he was going to get scared by No-face, but he wound up being his favorite character 🤷♀️
the music that came when No-face appeared always made me scare when i was little
i covered my eyes whenever i saw him lol
I saw this as a kid and that scene disturbed me so much I couldn't even finish the movie.
The stink spirit represents pollution in a river in Japan. Hiyao Miyazaki helped clean a river and they actually found a bicycle in the mud. He has a lot of interviews and the inspiration to his films.
Yes, like in " My neighbor Totoro " with the mother's sickness
It dwells in child trafficking too
Also, Haku is a River Spirit. And he lost his home, when humans turned it into an apartment building.
That final scene where Chihiro ALMOST looks back
*heartclenching chills*
If I was in her place I would have looked back for sure lol
(but then again I've always loved the spirit world, except for the begining where it was super scary XD)
I think the reason she's not allowed to look back, is because if she will, she would be stuck there, like the legend about the guy who went to hell to return his wife, and told her to not look back, and when she did, she got dragged back unable to return back
If you didn't realise, No Face became evil in the bath-house because it was full of greedy, evil influences, eg. people wanting only money or lots of food. When he was with Chihiro, or with Yubaba's sister, he was kind, because he was surrounded by kindness and people who cared for others more than greed. He was never bad, he just sort of... absorbs the traits of the people around him.
He has no face of his own. He reflects the environment he is in.
It is kind of like in Avatar the Last Airbender/The Legend of Korra: There are no good or evil spirits, they simply reflect the emotions in their surroundings.
Fun fact: Lin's voice actress is Susan Egan, who also voiced Meg in Hercules ;).
Chihiro - Lilo
Haku - Max Goof/Kovu
Yubaba/Zeniba - Zira
Kamaji - Dr Jumba/Ratcliffe/Cogsworth
I was just about to IMDb to confirm that 😂
@@myownself25 that’s amazing 😄
@@myownself25 Omg no wonder i recognised everyone, spectacular list!
@@myownself25 *now I may never unhear anyone in this childhood movie again*
You'll absolutely love Howl's Moving Castle since you talk about visuals a lot. Every frame in that movie is so beautiful.
yes, 100% that one!
I looovvvee Howl's Moving Castle... Sigh the music, the scenery and the adaptation of the story... Calcifer lol... A+
I really hope he watches howl’s moving castle. It’s my favorite ghibli movie
Yes please react to it!!!!
To this day I'm still traumatized to the fact Sophie just keeps turning old and young, This story is very good in impact I love Howl's Moving Castle tbh
Also to note - Haku's river was drained and had humans building over it, and since the river was destroyed by humans, along with Yubaba's curse, he forgot who he was. A lot of the creators stories focus on the impact humans have on the environment.
Huh I didn't know that. Is it stated anywhere in the movie that his river got drained?
@@softsounds8453 It is, but it was cut out of the reaction during Chihiro's talk with Haku when he remembered his name.
Chihiro: They filled in that river, it's all apartments now!
Haku: That must be why I can't find my way home, Chihiro. I remember you falling into my river, and I remember your little pink shoe.
@@jayleemittens9858 Ooooh! It's been a while since I watched Spirited Away. I completely forgot about that line
Well i love how some of the studio movies are pro environment like mononoke
Fun fact: the Voice of Chihiro is the voice of Lilo from Lilo and Stitch. I still love the beauty of this move and the magic of this movie. It’s all based on Japanese Lore and it’s gorgeous. You should definitely check out more Studio Ghibli. They’re just up your ally and they’re perfect!
the voice of Lin is the voice of Meg from Hercules
Makes sense since Disney are actually in charge of Ghibli’s western distribution, that’s why you can get certain Ghibli merch at Epcot
Also Yubaba is Zira from Lion King 2 and Haku is Kovu (also from Lion King 2)
She also played the creepy girl (Samara) in the movie The Ring. Interesting range of characters at a young age.
No wonder Chihiro sounded so familiar but with Lin, I was like Meg, is that you 😁?
This movie was my first exposure to anime, back in the early 2000’s. so imaginative and expressive.
Same!
This was the first anime I watched without my cousins. They exposed me to anime but ai watched this on my own and I'm so glad
The first Ghibli film I saw was Kiki's Delivery Service yet my first exposure to anime was Pokemon, Digimon, and Yu Gi Oh.
Nick about Yubaba “She looks sweet”
*uno reverse*
Lmao and he was worried about Kumaji the Evil Boiler Man 🤣
And yet the design belongs to a character who is sweet by the end.
When I'd seen it during college, @LadyBee, Yubaba looked too cute! Now seeing it with the video, she looks super cute! Round cutesy hairstyle, big distinct featured head, profile - Yubaba's face shines with cuteness. Really huggable.
I love it when No Face is having his tantrum and Chihiro's like "Look, I'm sorry you feel this way, but my man's down stairs fighting for his life, so if you could please knock it the fuck off so I can save him, i'd really appreciate that."
Why did I read this with the dub's voice-
@@noobsmarf3000
Damn, same-
@@noobsmarf3000 wait she said that in dub?
@@xblue6233 no, but imagine reading that with the dub's voice
Joe Hisaishi is the man who created the Music to most og the studio Ghibli films. Beautiful Music.
One of my favourite contemporary composers. He is a friggin genius
Absolutely one of the greatest ever. So much variety in the music he composed, I can’t decide which score is my favorite, Spirited Away or My Neighbor Totoro. And they’re both so different!
Joe Hisaishi and Hayao Miyazaki are an outstanding duo. The only other one I can think that might be up there with them is John Williams and Steven Spielberg.
I love that Nick kept refering to the spirits as persons. He kept saying "Who is that" instead of "What is that", since in the spirit world they are just the living beings that belong there
Well said!
Yes also his reactions are sooo kind hearted
Obviously it’s not worth it to have your channel at risk for copyright strikes, BUT if you’re able to watch more, I highly recommend Princess Mononoke!! Just know it’s definitely less child-friendly than most other Studio Ghibli films 😂
YES
So true 🤣
Once we watched it with my class and People were complaigning bc "anime for Kids" but after one bow shot a girl sreamed "I thought it was an animé !!!" I laughed so much ^^
Then lightheartedness with Porco Rosso
My oldest growing up loved Princess Mononoke and would watch it on repeat. Was hard for her to say at the time so she just called Mononoke the Wolf Girl. Hard to believe she's going to be an adult in less than a week.
Less child friendly is “Grave of the Fireflies” 😅
I can’t wait! You picked a PERFECT film to start with!
Yes I did 😂
You definitely did! :) I honestly wished you could have watched on Halloween though…
@@jasonnunez6411 thank you so much;^; i would have recommended this but i don't have money to be a sub lol
Sprited Away was my very first foreign film. It opened my eyes to how DIFFERENT the world can be to what I thought I knew.
Ghibli is like a Japanese Disney, only without the weird past.
Or the Disney naivety and cookie cutter stories
No Face, or the spirit that ate everything, was normal until he was corrupted by the greed of the bathhouse. You can see that he's completely see-through at the beginning and end, but when he enters the bathhouse, you can see the dark pools start to form inside him.
Be careful though, studio ghibli tends to get the whole channel deleted if they target it, not just the video showing their movie. Just a heads up if you get any warning, feel free to delete the video yourself so your whole channel doesn't disappear!
Anime studios in general do that. Best is to give a link to or mention a code peeps can fill in on an alternative channel like Vimeo. There you can post the full one no problem.
Definetely not worth risking it over that. Just play it save and dont do any more direct anime uploads on youtube, please. i dont want you to get even one strike. Maybe even delete this video after a week.
@@CptApplestrudl AFAIK other You tubers reacting to anime (or Last Airbender or Clone Wars) have no issues using the Vimeo (or similar one) method. Also the same for music videos. Commercial-free video sites I guess?
I'm glad someone warned him about it
@@rafaelmacedo2365 I've seen it happen with another reactor, their whole channel got wiped from existence and they had to create a new one, start from scratch again. It was awful I don't wish that on any creator.
The scene of Chihiro and Haku after seeing her parents gets me every time. She's been through so much stress, trying to stay strong and Haku gives her the enchanted rice balls that give her her strength back.
And she just breaks down and she can finally cry and let it all out.
It makes me cry/emotional every time I hear her cries.
Joe Hisaishi is the composer for every Hayao Miyasaki's movies in studio ghibli, his music is legendary!
As someone who has watched this many times, that opening music opens my tearducts. Its so nostalgic, especially after seeing tha ending,so emotional.
Im 24 and I'd be juat as scared to lose sight of my parents like that💔
Yubabas "I`ll turn you into coal" threat might explain why the coal weighs so much...
Woah... that sounds so... disturbing.
Some food for thought: that big murky stink spirit is actually a river spirit that was polluted with all of the trash from the humans so when chihiro/sen removed the trash it cleansed the spirit
I'd like to clarify some things when it comes to Eastern vs.
Western storytelling for you. Western stories tend to be more plot and story focused. They revolve around central conflict that is eventually solved in the end.
Eastern sotytelling however is different in that, yes they have a plot in them, but it's put into the background, it's not the main focus. The focus is on the emotions that are awaken by what's going on and the ones that the main protagonist(s) feel.
Thank to this, the stories (at least for us from western contries) feel like the plot isn't resolved or that there is any at all. A very good video that teaches about the differences is Western vs Eastern Storytelling - What's the Difference? (A General Overview) by Literature Devil. I really recommend it.
Great reaction btw < 3
It's interesting because I find that most Eastern stories I watch or read have a more intriguing plot than Western. That may be due to the exploration of characters emotions itself though, or western influence for all I know
So...do you mean Western Stories bad and Eastern Stories good??
@@almondlol4832 No, just wanted to say that there is a difference and to expect it when it comes to certain animes or asian stories. It's not good or bad, just different.
This. I was a little put off with the mentioning of wishing there was more to the parents. They weren’t really the main point, her growth and maturity was more of the focus of the film. Not so much resolving whatever issues with her parents. That’s more of a western idea. Well said.
The princess mononoke... Best anime movie ever!!!
Aah, its a tie for me
You're right young human !
Nah,is beautiful yes,but nah,this movie is the best,mononoke is even overrated from the fans of the studio,there are better movies from him
My favorite is howl’s moving castle I tear up at the end everytime .
I don't think it is overated, everyone have different taste and some will prefer mononoke, some other Chihiro, Porco rosso, castle in the sky, howl's moving castle 😁 But still, studio Ghibli is an incredible studio with talented creators and wonderful movies.
So, I thought I'd add a little backstory for the ending there; Hayao Miyazaki, co-founder of Studio Ghibli and director of Spirited Away said in an interview once that when Chihiro crosses back into the human world, she loses her memories of the spirit world and all that happened, which is obviously a little upsetting to think about. But he also said that just because she doesn't remember doesn't mean those memories are gone forever, there's a possibility that her memories could come back to her at a later time.
It’s also mentioned somewhere (I can't remember where exactly) that at the end when Haku promises that they’ll meet again, he’s referring to the afterlife, that he'll see her again when she dies. (Kinda puts a damper on those fan stories where Haku turns up in the human world or Chihiro returns to the spirit world.)
This story is one of my absolute favourites. Chihiro is such an incredible protagonist, she so brave and strong, whilst still being realistically child-like in her fear and emotional responses to what's happening to her. I'm really happy you watched this film, it's definitely in my top five favourite Studio Ghibli films. I hope you do more, but I understand the risk it poses to your channel so obviously, you shouldn't do anything you don't want to.
Fun fact : In japanese, chihiro said blood instead of germs
I noticed this too. Also, the English dub seems to have several added lines that the original Japanese doesn't have. I personally feel like it dumbs down the film a little bit and at times takes away from the emotional effect and some meaningful silences.
@@naniyodesu yep
I think this is the wrong dub. I might just be imagining things but if I recall correctly there are 2 English dubs.
So many reactors have reacted to the wrong ones that I can't even tell when they listen to the wrong one until the 'Haku is a dragon' part.
The bad dub reveals that way too early, while the good one has Chihiro act surprised when she realizes it'd Haku without her first knowing. Or that is actually the subbed version idk
@@lorettabes4553 Wow, I didn't even know there were two versions of the English dub! But that's cool to know that there is one that potentially preserves the effects and impacts of the original one better.
No Face is so relatable, eating everything in sight to make up for feeling lonely. 👹
The only anime that won the Oscar(2003)! if I’m correct
Is also considereted the best animated movie ever
Facts
Isn't it the most successful movie ever in Japan?
@@porflepopnecker4376 Not anymore. Demon Slayer movie just shattered records
You're correct but in 20 years another anime won
Ghibli movies have a certain magic to it. Their visuals and music are absolutely stunning. My absolute favorite by them is Princess Mononoke
One of my little favorite parts in this movie is when Zeniba calls Kohaku Chihiro's boyfriend. I have no idea if she says that in English, but in Japanese she does and I love that Chihiro just blinks at that, not really saying anything 😆
Everyone's favorite character in this movie: The Soot Balls
LOL I thought you were goig to say the rolly-heads. "Ouy. Ouy."
Your face when you first realise Haku is a dragon. So sweet
I hope you also watch Disney’s “Atlantis: the Lost Empire”
Yessss
yess;^;
Yes I love that movie!!
not ghibli recs but STAPLES in anime movies:
your name
a silent voice
these are a must-watch
Two words, Wolf Children
@@HitomiixxX3 YES. Also Maquia. 100% Rotten Tomatoes. 2 best mother and child movie. Both quite different but both amazing.
Grave of the Fireflies
Yep I was gonna say Wolf Children too
Hotarubi no Mori e
Napping Princess
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
All good movies. C:
All Ghibli movies start in low peace and end really quickly, that's a traditional Japanese narrative style, but I really loved seeing you reacting to this one! And to see you enjoyed it is so amazing, loving your content so much
Also this was the first Miyazaki film I ever saw. I was about 6 or 7 we had rented the dvd and I was sucked in and the only part that freaked me out was the oarents turned into pigs. Also I don’t know if you recognize the voiced for the dub in English but
Chihiro was Daveigh Chase who was Lilo in Lilo and Stitch,
Susan Egan was Lin who was Meg in Hercules,
Jason Marsden was Haku who most Disney fans will know as the voice of Max, Goofy’s Son,
The character that says “Welcome the rich man he’ not that hard to miss” is John Ratzenberger who has been in Every Pixar film (Ham the Piggy Bank and so many others),
I love the detail that near the end of the film you see she still has the hairband her friends made her,
Also the reason No Face acts the way he does is he copies how someone interacts with him so when Chihiro is kind to him he is nice, but when the greedy workers interact off him he mimics them.
The bicycle that was in the river spirit is what Miyazaki once pulled from a river when he was young was the inspiration for that.
You brought up at the end how you wanted to focus on her relationship with her parents, but that would detract from the story the point of the film is to see Chihiro grow not just as a character, but as a person and she matures from an easily scared girl with a childlike personality to match her age to a hard-working, responsible, and brave young girl who has learned to put her fears aside for those she cares for. To protect her friends and rescue her parents from a spell that has turned them into livestock, Chihiro sheds her former personality and adapts to her environment to become a courageous, quick-witted and reliable girl.The strength of her bond with Haku as the story progresses eventually evolves into a very sincere form of love that dispelled Yubaba and Zeniba's respective curses on Haku.
Chihiro was based on a real-life girl: the then-ten-year-old daughter of a friend of Miyazaki's. This girl also made Miyazaki continue working after promising retirement from filmmaking after Princess Mononoke
One other detail I forgot to mention is when at the end she and her parents are going back through the tunnel it is not them leading her out, but her leading them out!
This movie is honestly a work of art. The scenery, music and movement is a whole experience.
Yes
If you want to react to another Anime film that's not done by Studio Ghibli, then Your Name or A Silent Voice are great choices.
I would also recommend In This Corner of the World - it's a slice-of-life based on a manga of the same name. It is set in Kure city during WW2.
The one thing you have to remember going in is that this isn’t a western film. Japanese story telling focuses more on characters and journey then destination
React to Howl's moving castle 🖤
+
yesss
Hell yeah!!!! One of the Best movies ever!
Yes
Yes
I totally get it, your channel should come first over a movie and while I love studio ghibli films. Feel like what you are doing is best!
Thanks I’m glad lots of people seem to understand😀
EXCELLENT CHOICE!😍😭
Fun fact: the voice of the main character is the girl from The Ring. Lol
Advice: never eat a faerie's food. 😉
Life saving advice: don't fuck with the faeries
@@Alysana2604
They're pretty...
...pretty fuggin petty. 🤣
@@Alysana2604
Another fun fact i forgot: the voice of Lin is the same voice actress as Meg from Hercules. Lol
Also, Lilo from Lilo and Stitch.
Nick: This is such a weird story!
Understatement of the fricken millennium. Still awesome though.
This is honestly not only my favorite animated film, but also one of the greatest films I’ve ever seen in my life! The characters are memorable, it has tons of great moments, the creativity and imagination is extraordinary, the music is gorgeous, without a doubt Joe Hisaishi’s definitive score, and it has some of the greatest animation ever put on film! This is the kind of film that most American studios wish they could make! Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli’s masterpiece! I can’t recommend it enough! If you’re interested in looking at more anime films, I wonder what you’ll think of Akira if you ever decide to check it out.
A lot of Ghibli movies have enviromental messages, thats the point of the "stink spirit" really being the spirit of a river that was polluted (based in a real experience Mizaki had cleaning up a real river) and Haku being the spirit of a river that was lost when people built housing complexs over it.
Fun fact: The actors who play Haku (Jason Marsden) and Yubaba (Suzanne Pleshette), are the same ones who play Kovu and Zira from The Lion King 2!
It’s not mentioned in the dub but in the Japanese version Haku says he remembered his full name is Nigihayami Kohakunushi which means “God of the Amber River”
The trash spirit was actually based on the time when Miyakazi helped to clean a river in his home town that was filled with garbage including a bike.
Edit: I suggest checking out Kiki's delivery service! It's a beautiful movie with an equally beautiful message about the struggles of becoming burnt out and how it's okay not knowing what to do at times.
Nick watching one of my favourite films of all time, and my day is suddenly blessed✨🧎♂️
My favorite movie when I was a kid, it gave me nightmares but that just made me love it more!
Oh, in german they keept it a secret that haku is a dragon till u see him the first time fully. So ur basically wonder with chihiro too if he's really a dragon or not till he transformes back.
It's the same in the original japanese version, Chihiro just says "A dragon ?". I like that you don't really know.
@@ChitoToda also in Portuguese
Have you watched Disney's Lilo and Stitch yet? The VA who voiced Lilo is Chihiro in this film. Also the VA who voiced Lin is Meg from Hercules :D
I haven’t but that’s coming soon!
The more you watch these, the more you'll also start to appreciate it and understand it more as you look at it through not just an Eastern lens but viewing it through the Japanese Shinto values. It reaffirms people's relationship to the their environment (like the "stink spirit" being a river spirit that was polluted) while reconciling the relationship between old Japanese tradition and modernity. There's something absolutely beautiful about keeping your old traditions and values while moving forward in an ever changing world that threatens to change those. Tradition and modernity aren't opposite each other but can coexist.
When I was little I would unconsciously hold my breath with Chihiro when they crossed the bridge.
Amazing how the whole situation just draws you in.
same here! after all these years, i still hold my breath at this scene ^ ^
The movie has a very mature and timeless themes throughout the film that makes it a true masterpiece. Industrialism, Consumerism, Identity, Social Class, and many more. It’s the epitome of life. Not having true direction, but a goal in mind. It’s ever changing. As we are with each season that we face.
Good choice Nick 👍 I love Spirited Away. I saw this anime in my childhood.
i would recommend anime movies outside of Studio Ghibli films if you are afraid of copyright strikes like your name or a silent voice or mirai etc...other than that i loved your reaction
That’s what I’m planning!
A silent voice yes!!
It's neat how they first give a hint that dragons are river gods, by showing us the polluted one, and then link that back to Haku.
Every time I watch this movie I instantly get transported into a state which feels like childhood. It’s not only nostalgic, but it’s able to put you into the emotions and the world view of a kid. I seriously love it. This movie feels so much like the peace and innocence of childhood
The actual storyline of this movie can be a bit odd at times but there's something about it that jsut perfectly captures that childhood wonder and magic. Even as an adult you can't help but be charmed and entranced. Chihiro is so amazingly brave and fearless while also clearly retaining her child nature.
Theres a lot of lore and discussion concerning Noh-face (the scary black spirit) mostly involving how he represents greed and other things.
The fact that chihiro forgets everything at the end but her friends remember and will meet her again is the strongest part, as it’s meant to subconsciously question if you’ve also had adventures with friends you’ve forgotten, who are waiting for your return.
Do Kiki's Delivery service next!!!
I've always liked Spirited Away but wondered about people for whom it's their first touch with anime because with the giant babies and the witch-headed birds it's also one of the weirder Ghibli movies, in my opinion. I think it helps if one thinks of it as "Alice in Wonderland set in Japanese culture" though, just trying to see everything through the eyes of fairytale logic and afterwards reading up on the folkloric backgrounds and interpretations of various elements.
If you want a really feel-good Ghibli movie someday do "The Secret World of Arrietty". It's a little more slice-of-life but it's got a wonderful premise and it's my number-one comfort film, it's so pretty to look at.
Thank you so much Nick~ 💕
Overall, Studio Ghibli always gave me this feeling of hope and warmth. Spirited away is one of my favorites from Hayao Miyazaki. I first watch this film when I was little and I was scared, since this movie’s plot is about this girl being trapped in this world with spirits and her parents turning into pigs, I didn’t like the movie as much. When I was older and revisit this movie, I really enjoyed it and realized that everything in the film was an allegory/ symbols of how Miyazaki see the world like his other films.
Here’s a little link: ruclips.net/video/tkxR1TcG4n4/видео.html
This video really explain a bit more of the movie and when I watched this I was 🤯. I missed so many things and it was really fun looking at the symbolism and the fine detail. I really hope you check it out. ☺️✨
Definitely will, thanks!
30:00-30:10 is the best reaction to anything I've ever seen 😂🤣
YES I AM HERE FOR IT!!! I know who you are talking about. You do have to be careful. I think I recall someone who posted a reaction on RUclips. I understand. The conclusion you came to is prob for the best.
Thanks for understanding, was nervous lots of people weren’t haha.
@@nickflix8657 dude. Its cool
This was my favorite as a teen and those stairs always gave me anxiety!
You definitely got to check out Song of the Sea, it is breathtaking in its visuals and story telling with music that makes you feel like you're in a fairytale
Yes please! It makes me so happy someone here knows about Irish animation ❤❤❤❤
Omg now I need to see your reactions to princess mononoke, howls moving castle, and my neighbor totoro. I get you have to be careful because of brand copyrights but I love anime so much.
Two Studio Ghibli movies that share the same character that I highly recommend you watch in order are Whisper of The Heart and The Cat Returns. Both movies are great!!!
This is one the very few dubs I'd actually watch over the original language. It's done so well, the English voices are perfect for the characters.
I agree! Ghibli always does a nice job with their dubs imho ☺️
Howl’s is good too. Billy Crystal knocks it out of the park as Calcifer.
Your reactions are so heartwarming 💜🥺 idk how to describe it but you make me feel soft and happy like good and peaceful 🌻 Thankyu
39:17 And that's why he said he didn't have a home to go to, because they drained his river, filled it up and built apartments over it. Apparently in the original Japanese dub he was saying 'I've lost my home', that's what made it so easy for Yubaba to control him and why he forgot so quickly
You are going to love Studio Ghibli! Hiyao Miyazaki is very concerned with the environment and he makes very strong female leads! ❤️
I really recommend Grave of the Fireflies! It's my favorite Ghibli film along with Princess Kaguya :')
glad you’re checking out ghibli!! they have sooo many great movies! i recommend my favorite, howl’s moving castle❤️
There is an interesting part at the end:
When yubaba was asked by her child to just let Sen go, she said that even she Yubaba is bound by the rules and can't break them
This movie used to scare me a lot when I was younger, but now that I have become an artist, this movie gives me a lot of inspiration.
If you like how Studio Ghibli animates water you should definitely watch Ponyo.
Grew up with this movie, one of my favourite movies ever
Ghibli has some of the most gorgeous animated movies of all time.
"I knew you were good!" Phew :') Chihiro's faith in Haku always gets me.
I think No Face's deal is that he takes in the qualities of his environment, like the never-ending greed of the bathhouse. Just like he took on the frog's voice when he ate him. So he felt much more at peace somewhere like Granny's house
One of my all-time favorites of any film, animated or otherwise! Every moment, every frame of animation and storytelling grabbed me hard as a kid and never let go. I just love how we dive right into it with little to no explanation of exactly why this world is the way it is, what the spirits are, how they came to be, why some look like humans, etc. It's a simple story of Chihiro's growth, survival and transition in a setting that is anything but simple. It's just a spellbinding ride from start to finish. Thank you for this treat! 😍
And recognize Lin's voice? It's Susan Egan who also played Meg in Hercules!
Just love your reaction, so emotional! Its allmost like watching movies for the first time myself) thank you so much)
The scenery and music together are amazing in all the ghibli movies... Makes you feel so warm and comforted
You should watch The Wind Rises
This movie was a true hallmark. It won Best Animated Picture in the 2002 Oscars and it remains, up until now, the only time Japan ever won an Oscar in that category.
A great voice cast. Daveigh Chase, Jason Marsden, Suzanne Pleshette, John Ratzenberger, Roger Bumpass, Susan Egan, David Ogden Stiers, Tara Strong, Bob Bergen, Candy Milo and Dee Bradley Baker!
yay! I love this film, I'm so glad you are reacting to this it really had an impact on me the first time I saw it.
Love that sprinting scene in the stairs.
ur doing studio ghibli?! yes yes yes yes yes! lol Ghibli is such nostalgia! and this was the second one i saw. its great!... early on there was the line 'maybe its pulling us in' a little detail that could be dismissed, but with how insistent the parents were on exploring the other side despite saying they'd b elate not too long ago? also, the statue they almost hit is important too. ' the dōsojin wards off evil spirits and catastrophes, and protects the village from evil outside influences. As deity of the road, the dōsojin protects travelers, pilgrims, and those in "transitional" stages(process of moving sounds transitional to me)
If you loved the visuals in this you’ll love Princess Mononoke. It was my favorite growing up.
ooo i love this movie!! it's so beautiful
Second this!
@@justinnaniong7872 i'm glad i'm not alone on this!! i just feel like it's perfect for him? it's wholesome but emotional and the music!! i forgot to mention that but omg the music is amazing
Amazing show :)
Lin’s voice actress also does Meg from Hercules (: